Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
In the fall, as I was going to my placement and observing my teacher, I mainly focused on the EDC 430 journal observation assignment at hand. I would suggest that future student teachers use some of this observing time to try and form relationships with their cooperating teacher, the students, and even other teachers and faculty. Follow your cooperating teacher around and learn what she knows, even basic tasks such as how to use the copier. Notice how he/she handles any issues within the classroom, and be ready to adapt to their rules and policies, as they will soon be your own. All these things will make the transition easier, and less awkward.
Besides that, the other HUGE suggestion I was going to make was to plan. Seeing that almost everyone in the previous years suggested this, I won't go into too much detail, but future student teachers should take the hint. Seriously, don't procrastinate. See it as an additional 430 assignment, to make a couple lessons a month. Upon meeting your C.T. kindly inquire about a curriculum outline and together decide what unit you will come in on, and leave on, so that you can begin preparing accordingly. Even if it's just making the powerpoint slides for the notes, or note outlines (whatever you plan use), this will help a ton!
There just isn't enough time during the week when you're waking up at 5 am, leaving school between 4-6 pm, grading papers, packing the next day's lunch, ironing your outfit, etc... to make a lesson plan, or any activities. For this reason it's really important that you PLAN AND CREATE YOUR LESSONS/ACTIVITIES AHEAD OF TIME.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Work on lesson plans! Be familiar with all the topics covered in the other 430 assignments. Print out the Science GSE's and put a printout in your teaching materials. This will be helpful when making sure the content you cover and the lessons you plan, are addressing the RI standards for the projected grade level you will be teaching. Also, get familiar with learning objectives, and how to write them using higher level questioning, as you will be doing this for all of your lesson plans. Also, become comfortable with a lesson plan outline that falls somewhere in between the short-form and long-form that you can use to outline your daily lesson plans.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Not only "planned" what I was going to do, but actually worked through each lesson and created everything needed for them. I also would have saved money!! Driving 45 minutes to and from Westerly everyday in a jeep, without a job, was extremely painful. I go through a half tank of gas in about 2 days. Filling up twice a week definitely adds up, so I wish I had saved enough money to account for this extra expense.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Everything I've said above pretty much addresses what I would pass on.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
In the fall, as I was going to my placement and observing my teacher, I mainly focused on the EDC 430 journal observation assignment at hand. I would suggest that future student teachers use some of this observing time to try and form relationships with their cooperating teacher, the students, and even other teachers and faculty. Follow your cooperating teacher around and learn what she knows, even basic tasks such as how to use the copier. Notice how he/she handles any issues within the classroom, and be ready to adapt to their rules and policies, as they will soon be your own. All these things will make the transition easier, and less awkward.
Besides that, the other HUGE suggestion I was going to make was to plan. Seeing that almost everyone in the previous years suggested this, I won't go into too much detail, but future student teachers should take the hint. Seriously, don't procrastinate. See it as an additional 430 assignment, to make a couple lessons a month. Upon meeting your C.T. kindly inquire about a curriculum outline and together decide what unit you will come in on, and leave on, so that you can begin preparing accordingly. Even if it's just making the powerpoint slides for the notes, or note outlines (whatever you plan use), this will help a ton!
There just isn't enough time during the week when you're waking up at 5 am, leaving school between 4-6 pm, grading papers, packing the next day's lunch, ironing your outfit, etc... to make a lesson plan, or any activities. For this reason it's really important that you PLAN AND CREATE YOUR LESSONS/ACTIVITIES AHEAD OF TIME.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Work on lesson plans! Be familiar with all the topics covered in the other 430 assignments. Print out the Science GSE's and put a printout in your teaching materials. This will be helpful when making sure the content you cover and the lessons you plan, are addressing the RI standards for the projected grade level you will be teaching. Also, get familiar with learning objectives, and how to write them using higher level questioning, as you will be doing this for all of your lesson plans. Also, become comfortable with a lesson plan outline that falls somewhere in between the short-form and long-form that you can use to outline your daily lesson plans.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Not only "planned" what I was going to do, but actually worked through each lesson and created everything needed for them. I also would have saved money!! Driving 45 minutes to and from Westerly everyday in a jeep, without a job, was extremely painful. I go through a half tank of gas in about 2 days. Filling up twice a week definitely adds up, so I wish I had saved enough money to account for this extra expense.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Everything I've said above pretty much addresses what I would pass on.